Selective Inhibition of Spontaneous But Not Ca2+-Dependent Release Machinery by Presynaptic Group II mGluRs in Rat Cerebellar Slices

2006 ◽  
Vol 96 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maike Glitsch

Two main forms of neurotransmitter release are known: action potential-evoked and spontaneous release. Action potential-evoked release depends on Ca2+entry through voltage-gated Ca2+channels, whereas spontaneous release is thought to be Ca2+-independent. Generally, spontaneous and action potential-evoked release are believed to use the same release machinery to release neurotransmitter. This study shows, using the whole cell patch-clamp technique in rat cerebellar slices, that at the interneuron- Purkinje cell synapse activation of presynaptic group II metabotropic glutamate receptors suppresses spontaneous GABA release through a mechanism independent of voltage-gated Ca2+channels, store-operated Ca2+channels, and Ca2+release from intracellular Ca2+stores, suggesting that the metabotropic receptors target the release machinery directly. Voltage gated Ca2+channel-independent release following increased presynaptic cAMP production is similarly inhibited by these metabotropic receptors. In contrast, both voltage-gated Ca2+channel-dependent and presynaptic N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor-dependent GABA release were unaffected by activation of group II metabotropic glutamate receptors. Hence, the mechanisms underlying spontaneous and Ca2+-dependent GABA release are distinct in that only the former is blocked by group II metabotropic glutamate receptors. Thus the same neurotransmitter, glutamate, can activate or inhibit neurotransmitter release by selecting different receptors that target different release machineries.

1997 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 527-527 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. A. Schrader ◽  
J. G. Tasker

Schrader, L. A. and J. G. Tasker. Presynaptic modulation by metabotropic glutamate receptors of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs to hypothalamic magnocellular neurons. J. Neurophysiol. 77: 527–536, 1997. The effects of activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) on synaptic inputs to magnocellular neurons of the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus (SON) were studied with the use of whole cell patch-clamp and microelectrode recordings in acute hypothalamic slices. Application of the mGluR agonist trans-(±)-1-amino-1,3-cyclopentane dicarboxylic acid ( trans-ACPD, 100 μM) elicited an increase in the frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) and excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) in 20% of the cells, and of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) and inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in 50% of the cells tested in normal medium. The increased frequency of spontaneous EPSPs/EPSCs and IPSPs/IPSCs was blocked by tetrodotoxin (TTX), indicating that mGluRs act to excite the somata/dendrites of presynaptic glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons. (RS)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (50 μM), a selective group I receptor agonist, mimicked the presynaptic somatic/dendritic effects of trans-ACPD, suggesting that the presynaptic somatic/dendritic receptors responsible for increased spike-dependent glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) release belong to the group I mGluRs. In the presence of TTX, trans-ACPD caused a decrease in the frequency of miniature EPSCs (up to 90%) in 13 of 16 cells, and a decrease in the frequency of miniature IPSCs (up to 80%) in 10 of 16 cells tested. Miniature EPSC and IPSC amplitudes usually did not change in trans-ACPD, suggesting that activation of metabotropic receptors located at presynaptic glutamatergic and GABAergic terminals led to a reduction in transmitter release onto SON magnocellular neurons. l(+)-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (100–250 μM), a selective group III receptor agonist, mimicked the effects of trans-ACPD at presynaptic terminals, decreasing the frequency of miniature EPSCs and IPSCs by up to 85% without affecting their amplitude. Thus the metabotropic receptors at presynaptic glutamate and GABA terminals in the SON belong to group III mGluRs. EPSCs evoked by electrical stimulation were enhanced by the group III receptor antagonist (S)-2-amino-2-methyl-4-phosphonobutanoic acid, suggesting that presynaptic metabotropic receptors are activated by the release of endogenous glutamate. These data indicate that mGluRs in the hypothalamus have opposing actions at presynaptic somata/dendrites and at presynaptic terminals. Activation of group I receptors (mGluR1 and/or mGluR5) on presynaptic somata/dendrites led to an increase in spike-dependent transmitter release, whereas activation of the group III receptors (mGluR4, 7, and/or 8) on presynaptic terminals suppressed glutamate and GABA release onto SON neurons. No diffferences were seen in the effects of mGluR activation between immunohistochemically identified oxytocin and vasopressin neurons of the SON.


1999 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 425-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cindy L. Linn ◽  
Adele C. Gafka

Activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors modulates the voltage-gated sustained calcium current in a teleost horizontal cell. In the teleost retina, cone horizontal cells contain a voltage-activated sustained calcium current, which has been proposed to be involved in visual processing. Recently, several studies have demonstrated that modulation of voltage-gated channels can occur through activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). Because glutamate is the excitatory neurotransmitter in the vertebrate retina, we have used whole cell electrophysiological techniques to examine the effect of mGluR activation on the sustained voltage-gated calcium current found in isolated cone horizontal cells in the catfish retina. In pharmacological conditions that blocked voltage-gated sodium and potassium channels, as well as N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and non-NMDA channels, application of l-glutamate or 1-aminocyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid (1 S,3 R-ACPD) to voltage-clamped cone horizontal cells acted to increase the amplitude of the calcium current, expand the activation range of the calcium current by 10 mV into the cell’s physiological operating range, and shift the peak calcium current by −5 mV. To identify and characterize the mGluR subtypes found on catfish cone horizontal cells, agonists of group I, group II, or group III mGluRs were applied via perfusion. Group I and group III mGluR agonists mimicked the effect of l-glutamate or 1 S,3 R-ACPD, whereas group II mGluR agonists had no effect on L-type calcium current activity. Inhibition studies demonstrated that group I mGluR antagonists significantly blocked the modulatory effect of the group I mGluR agonist, ( S)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine. Similar results were obtained when the group III mGluR agonist,l-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid, was applied in the presence of a group III mGluR antagonist. These results provide evidence for two groups of mGluR subtypes on catfish cone horizontal cells. Activation of these mGluRs is linked to modulation of the voltage-gated sustained calcium current.


2014 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 1744-8069-10-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magda Zammataro ◽  
Maria Angela Sortino ◽  
Carmela Parenti ◽  
Robert W Gereau ◽  
Santina Chiechio

2003 ◽  
Vol 90 (4) ◽  
pp. 2581-2591 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Aura Ene ◽  
Paul H. M. Kullmann ◽  
Deda C. Gillespie ◽  
Karl Kandler

The lateral superior olive (LSO) is a binaural auditory brain stem nucleus that plays a central role in sound localization. Survival and maturation of developing LSO neurons critically depend on intracellular calcium signaling. Here we investigated the mechanisms by which glutamatergic afferents from the cochlear nucleus increase intracellular calcium concentration in LSO neurons. Using fura-2 calcium imaging in slices prepared from neonatal mice, we found that cochlear nucleus afferents can activate all major classes of ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors, each of which contributes to an increase in intracellular calcium. The specific activation of different glutamate receptor classes was dependent on response amplitudes and afferent stimulus patterns. Low-amplitude responses elicited by single stimuli were entirely mediated by calcium-impermeable AMPA/kainate receptors that activated voltage-gated calcium channels. Larger-amplitude responses elicited by either single stimuli or stimulus trains resulted in additional calcium influx through N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors. Finally, high-frequency stimulation also recruited group I and group II metabotropic glutamate receptors, both of which mobilized intracellular calcium. This calcium release in turn activated a strong influx of extracellular calcium through a membrane calcium channel that is distinct from voltage-gated calcium channels. Together, these results indicate that before hearing onset, distinct patterns of afferent activity generate qualitatively distinct types of calcium responses, which likely serve in guiding different aspects of LSO development.


2006 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chang Mo Kim ◽  
Jeong Il Choi ◽  
Hong Beom Bae ◽  
Seok Jai Kim ◽  
Sung Tae Chung ◽  
...  

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